


A Rare Gift

by VagueOmen



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark Will Graham, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Not Beta Read, Will Finds Out, Will Graham Knows, mentions of dead body but no grahpic descriptions, somewhere in Season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:46:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28666443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VagueOmen/pseuds/VagueOmen
Summary: A body goes missing from the lab at the FBI. What is Will to think the killer meant by stealing the body back- and putting it somewhere for Will to find?“This killer has paid you special attention- arguably favors you. It’s possible there is infatuation. How does that feel?”“It feels like a rare gift.” he said slowly.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 110
Collections: Hannibal Flash Fic #001, Hannibal Flash Fic Week 1





	A Rare Gift

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this instead of doing course work. enjoy

Will arrived to work that Friday morning extra early. Jack had asked him to look at a body before his first class. It just so happened to be the day of the week that he had an 8am class, too. He was not in a great mood, but it wasn’t as if his work usually had him in a good one anyways.

Beverly met up with him in the parking lot. “You’re early today. What’s up, teach?” 

He laughed. They started walking together. “Not teaching this early. Jack asked me to come in and take a look at the body. I’ve seen some photos already.”

“Oh sweet. I mean- not great for you but fun for me to start the day with you.” She smiled. 

“You’re maybe the only one who would think so.” He said. 

“I think there might be more people who appreciate you for more than just what you do, Will.” She looked at him with soft eyes. 

“Thanks, Bev. I still think it’s just you.” He confessed. 

“Well, hopefully more people come around. You deserve some respect and compassion.” She said, pulling keys to the lab out of her pocket.

“Thanks.” He said awkwardly. He wasn’t sure how to respond, but it did impact him. 

Jack rounded the corner. “Will, glad you’re on time.” He said. “Let’s get inside, Beverly.”

They went in and she began her opening morning routine while the rest of them waited. 

Jimmy and Brain got there shortly before she finished. 

“Alright.” Beverly said as she finished. “Let’s get her out, Jimmy?” 

“This one’s surprisingly uninteresting for the Ripper. Just enough details to know it’s him, but no extra touch. This one feels like it didn’t mean anything. That’s Will’s job though.” He said. He gestured to him. “I’m dying to know what you think.” 

He began to pull out the tray. 

“Dear God.” He said. 

Everyone stared at the empty sheet of metal. 

“Jack please tell me you lent this out to someone for some reason.”

“We have to lock this place up until we can figure out who got into this building. I’ll get a short statement of this morning's events for the record but Will, you’ll be free to go home. Katz, Price, Zeller I need a full sweep of this place.” 

“What about my classes?” Will asked.

Jack blinked. He never considered Will’s actual job. “Get a sub. You’re too tied to this case. You shouldn’t be here.”

He nodded. He understood that Jack would likely contact him as soon as he had more information and after his work day, weekend be damned. 

***

Tensions were high and Will needed to get away from it. He lived less than an hour away from his favorite fishing spot. This weekend would be for fishing, if the body snatcher and the killer allowed. They hadn’t caught either (if it was different people). Still, he pocketed his phone in case Jack called.

The woods felt quieter than usual that morning as he walked towards the stream. The water was quiet, too. Will worried that there might be a blockage that will certainly not be helpful to his fishing. 

He froze when he reached the stream. There was a blockage. He reached into his pocket and with cold fingers rang Jack. 

“Will. What have you got.”

“The body, Jack.”

“Where are you?”

Will gave him the address and sent him his GPS location. 

Jack said he and the team would be there within the hour. 

Will went back to the edge of the woods and waited. 

***

He stood up to greet the team as they arrived. 

“Is it the same guy, Will?” Jack asked without saying so much as a ‘hello’.

“Don’t know. Could be.” He half-lied. Will was more than sure that it was the same killer but he didn’t want to explain his thought process to anyone yet. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to. 

“Katz! Zeller!” He yelled. “I want you two on this now. We don’t know how long it’s been here. Where the hell is Price?”

“He’s on his way.” Brian told him.

Beverly and Brian walked out of the woods and into the stream. 

“I don’t think we’re gonna be able to get much from this, Jack.” Beverly said. 

“Jimmy would know a bit better than I would but I’d say the body’s been here since it was stolen.”

They all turned and jumped as Will came up behind them and spoke. “The killer knew I’d be here soon but not soon enough.” 

“He just loves to make things easy for me.” Brain said with sarcasm clear in his voice. 

“Come on,” Beverly urged. “We gotta get this back to the lab as quickly as possible.”

Brian nodded and started to help get the body to shore.

Jack’s voice giving the team ordered faded into a distant rumble as Will stared at the body’s face. As the bag they put her in was zipping up for a brief moment her face morphed into Abigail’s. 

A hand landed on his shoulder. 

“Best to no longer look, Will.” Hannibal said into his ear. “I’m sure you’ve got all you need.”

Will turned around and looked at the ground. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks.” 

“I am your paddle.” 

“Right.”

“Jack asked me to consult on the scene but it seems that I couldn’t get here fast enough. Perhaps I can still offer insight as to what kind of mind would take the body, but I’m sure you know just as much as I do.” 

“Yeah. Body was in the water. They had to get it out immediately. We’ll both have to see it in the lab.”

“You had ample time here before they arrived, did you not?” 

“Yeah. Maybe too conveniently.” 

“What will you tell Jack?”

“I’m not sure yet” he said, turning to leave. 

***

It wasn’t until Monday that Will saw Hannibal again. He had an appointment for their “conversations” set up for after work. This meant that the case was fresh on his mind by the time he was sitting in a leather chair across from the Doctor.

“Let’s talk about the case. Why was the body stolen and placed near your home?” Hannibal asked. 

He looked at the ground and gripped the arms of the chair. “Jack believes the killer is making fun of the FBI. ‘Poking the bear’. I think he sees what he’s meant to see.” he explained. 

“Jack thinks he’s being taunted. You see something different.”

“No, this isn’t to piss off Jack, or the FBI, or hell even me. No this is… it was for me. The killer did this because he..favors me. He thinks he’s giving me special treatment.”

“What leads you to this conclusion?” 

“Something I said made him feel seen or his work appreciated. It’s likely that he doesn’t get that often. I must’ve said something about his work and he stole a body that he already murdered, and gave it to me.” He paused and blinked as he made a realization. “He gave his work to me.”

“This killer has paid you special attention- arguably favors you. It’s possible there is infatuation. How does that feel?”

Will had known for some time that Hannibal was more than he seemed. He knew he might be the Ripper. He wasn’t entirely unconvinced that Hannibal was behind this case. This question set the belief in Will. This wasn’t just another case. This wasn’t mocking the FBI. This body is Hannibal confessing. He wasn’t confessing to murder- no, he was showing that. The confession was of a personal nature. 

“It feels like a rare gift.” he said slowly. 

“And do you accept it, Will?”

“Am I given a choice?” he asked quietly.

“The killer could’ve easily framed you, forcing you into a murderer, at least in the public eye. He didn’t.”

Will sighed. “He gave me a choice. I could ignore this, lie to Jack. Or I could accept it, lie to Jack. Either way the killer thinks I’ll lie to the FBI.”

“You often do. Won’t you lie to Jack?”

“Yes.”

“The killer knows this about you.”

Will nodded. He thought for a moment, carefully choosing his next words. “I’m starting to wonder how well he knows me.” he said, looking Hannibal in the eye. 

“You are concerned he could be a friend?” he asked. 

“Less concerned and more..” he returned his focus to the ground. “Curious.” 

“Curiosity could be dangerous, Will. Most killers don’t appreciate you in their heads and their work.”

“This one does.” he said like it was a fact. 

“You seem very certain of that.”

He nodded. 

“He appreciates it, but he’s still a killer.” he said. He tapped his fingers nervously and looked up again. “Hannibal, would you kill me?” he asked.

The corners of his mouth barely lifted into a barely noticeable smile. “Yes. Although I would hope I didn’t have to.”

“You don’t. You might. I know that. But you don’t have to. I see you, Hannibal. I saw what you gave to me. I’m not giving it to anyone else.”

His smile grew. He shifted in his seat to lean forward. “Would you kill me, dear Will?”

He looked at the other man and paused. “Yes. But I’m not going to.”

Hannibal leaned back in his chair. “What will you do with this killer's gift?

“I don’t know. I’ll keep Jack off of his scent, but I know he’s perfectly capable of that.” he answered. “He’s my friend. I’m going to protect him.”

He looked at Will’s face, studying it before he spoke. “I have killed a woman and stolen the body back from Jack just to give her to you. You choose to protect me. Why? I know you do not fear that I will harm you.”

Will sighed. “I know you would never want to hurt me, Hannibal. I know what this gift means to you. You wouldn’t share your work with just anyone like this. I don’t think you ever planned to share your work with anyone.”

“It’s true, I never did plan on someone like you.” 

“I’m the only one who can  _ see _ you, Hannibal.” 

He spoke quietly. “Is it a burden to you?” he asked. There was barely a hint of uncertainty and nervousness in his tone, but it came across loud and clear to Will.

“No.” he sighed. “It’s a gift.”

Hannibal leaned forward and slowly reached across, touching the top of Will’s hand. 

It was Will who gave it to him. Held it out for him to hold. 

“I see it, Hannibal. And it’s beautiful. I wasn’t sure what I was seeing at the start of the Ripper cases but I can see it now and it’s _ beautiful _ , Hannibal.” he whispered. 

“I always wanted you to see it. From the moment I met you.” he said grabbing Will’s face with his other hand. 

He looked up at him, tears starting to form in his eyes. “Hannibal, I’ve never felt something so much and so outside of myself before.”

“It’s alright, Will. It’s alright. I am still your paddle.” he murmured. 

Will closed his eyes and leaned his face into Hannibal’s hand. “I know.” he breathed out.

“Will?” Hannibal began, letting hold of his hand and grabbing his arm. He stood them both up. 

His eyes fluttered open as he was lifted. 

“Can I kiss you?”

“Yes.” he whispered, a tear falling quickly down his face. 

Hannibal grabbed both sides of Will’s face with an urgency. He kissed him hard and fast.

Will wrapped his arms around his waist. He held on to him. He let out a sound between a laugh and a sob and looked up at him. “ _ Hannibal _ .” he said. 

He brought their lips together again, placing a slower and sweeter kiss on Will’s mouth this time. “I’m here, Will. It’s alright. I”m right here.”

The reassurance made Will start to cry.

Hannibal stood steady and held on to him. He moved his hands through the back of Will’s hair as his head lay on his shoulder. 

They swayed gently and slowly. It took Will several moments to even notice that they were. 

His cries softened and quieted. 

They continued to sway. 

Will squeezed Hannibal, holding on as tight as he could. 

“Right here, Will.” he said. He kissed the top of his head. “Always right here.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> if u kudos and/or comment I'll kiss u ON DA LIPS! mwah love u


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